Shakespeare in the Summertime
Posted by Danielle Bean in Family on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 10:00 AM
This week, I am hosting our annual drama camp at the house. This year, we’ve got about 20 players putting on a revised production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
As always, it’s been totally exhausting. And totally fun.
I’ve written about our summertime drama camp experiences here before:
A Stage I’m Going Through
Oh, the Drama!
Drama Camp How-To
This year, I got our revised Shakespeare script from KidsLoveShakespeare.com and I have been really happy with it. It strikes that happy balance between “baby Shakespeare” and Old English, which would be too difficult for most of our kids this year.
Even during our “off” hours, my kids have been rehearsing lines and practicing scenes with siblings and cousins. I love to see them happily occupied and working toward a common goal.
Though I have no experience (except for these summer projects) with theater, I have really come to appreciate the way that putting on a play encourages kids to work hard, improve their performances, and try new things. Even kids who at the beginning of the week feel shy or resist the play’s “romantic” themes, soon enjoy themselves and ham it up.
I would love to know about your family’s experiences with theater. Have your kids participated in plays—and have you noticed similar benefits?
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